Automatic gate for railway-crossings



6 Sheets-Sheet 1;

(No Model.)

W. BURLEIGH. AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

No. 427,395. Patented May 6, 1890.

(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 2.

W. BURLEIGH.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY (mossmes.

No. 427,395. Patented May 6, 1890.

W @551 attozmm (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet '3.

W. BURLEIGH. AUTOMATIC GATE POE RAILWAY oaossmes.

No. 427,395. Patented May 6, 1890.

6 SheetsSheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. BURLEIGH. AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY UROSSINGS.

Patented May 6, 1890.

m: scams PETERS 120., PHDTG-LITHO., WASHINGYON a, c.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

W. BURLEIGH.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY onossmes.

Patented May 6, 1890.

THE NORRIS PETERS cc, mom-mum, wAsmNmuN, n, c

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet '6 W. BURLEIGH.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

No. 427,395. Patented May 6, 1890.

UNITED STATES ATEN'r OFFICE.

WVALLACE BURLEIGH, OF FRANKLIN, NETV HAMPSHIRE.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAlLWAYr-CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,395, dated May 6,1890.

Application filed March 11, 1889. $erial No. 302,927. (lilo model.)

I To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALLACE BURLEIGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Franklin, in the county of Merrimac and State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in AutomaticGates for Railway-Orossin gs, of which the following is a specification.

, This invention relates to operating mechanism for gates atgrade-crossings for railways, the objects of the invention beingessentially to provide means whereby the gates may be closed and openedand the necessary motive power be supplied to the mechanism by a movingtrain.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the followingspecification and claims and to the accompanying drawings, forming aninseparable part thereof, of which Figure 1 is a sectional elevationshowing the hollow standard, aportion of the railwaytraok and closedgate, and my improved operating mechanism, portions of the latter andthe gate being also shown by dotted lines as when opened. Fig. 2 is across-sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationof a standard and gate, which may be located at the opposite side of thetrack and the necessary operating mechanism inclosed in said standard.Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing a portion of railway-track, agradecrossing for a highway, an approaching railway-train, and the opengates, with my improved mechanism in proper position in relationthereto. Fig. 5 is a broken sectional elevation showing therailway-track and the cow-catcher of a locomotive approaching at theleft of a portion of my improved mechanism, which is located at the leftof a road-crossing. Fig. 6 is a similar view of that portion of myimproved mechanism which is located some distance at the right of aroad-crossing. Fig. 7 illustrates the position assumed by the mechanismshown in Fig. 6, when a train may approach from the left. Fig. 8 is abroken plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. (5, with portions ofails and a sleeper in a proper position in relation thereto. Fig. 9 is asection'taken at y y, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation showing aportion of that mechanism by which the gate operating mechanism withinthe hollow standard is wound up ready for use by the wheels of a passingtrain. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same, showing an additional leverconnected to a section of another lever, which in practice is within thehollow standard. Fig. 12 represents a portion of the mechanism to belocated at some distance to the left of a roadcrossing. Fig. 13 is aviewof the like parts when adapted to a position some distance to the rightof a road-crossing. Fig. 14 is aperspective view showing a section oftrack and a modification of the mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 10and 11. Fig. 15 is a detached view showing a-slight modification of aportion of the mechanism located within the hollow standard. Fig. 16 isasectional plan of-the two levers shown at the bottom of Fig. 15. Fig.17is aplan view of the sprocket wheels and chain and the tubes or pipesthrough which the chain passes from one to another of the hollowstandards in a system of four gates, the said standards and a section ofdouble track being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 18 represents a signal-bell and means of operating it at the timethe gates I are closing.

Corresponding reference-letters designate similar parts throughout thevarious views.

A represents a hollow standard, in which in Fig. l, will be sufficient;Operating mechanism connected with the shafts B O and gears Z) c ofasingle standard A is sufficient for operating the other gates, by meansof the sprocket-wheels E, mounted at thelower end of each vertical shaft0, the several sprocketwheels and their shafts being connected by achain belt 6, which may pass through tubes ICO E, extendingnnderground,between the several hollow standards A, as seen in Fig. 17.lVithin one of these hollow standards A, I place the following mechanismfor transmitting motion and power to the shafts B C of the severalstandards: A winding drum F is loosely mounted upon a horizontal shaftF. Upon said drum is attached one end of a rope or cable said rope orcable extending thence around suitably-located guiderolls to and over apulley f, located near the top of the standard, the free end being thenconnected to a suitable weight f as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Asmall ratchet-wheel G is mounted rigidly upon said shaft F, close to oneside of said drum F, and a spring-pawl g is mounted upon the side ofsaid drum in a manner to slip the teeth of the ratchet-wheel when saiddrum is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow there on, and toengage said teeth when rotated in the opposite direction. By thisconstruction the drum may rotate independent of the shaft for thepurpose of winding the cord f thereon and raising the actuating-weight fA spurgear H, mounted rigidly upon the said shaft F, meshes with aspur=pinion 11 mounted rigidly upon a horizontal shaft I, and transmitsmotion to said shaft and to a wheel J, also rigidly mounted on shaft- I.A connecting-rod j, having one end pivoted to said wheel J and. theopposite end to a crank J mounted upon the shaft 13, produces anoscillatory movement of said crank and shaft, by reason of the saidcrank being formed considerably longer than is the radial measurement ofsaid wheel J.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that to rotate the wheel Jone-half revolution in the direction of the arrowshown thereon willbring the connecting-rod the crank J, and the gate D to the positionsshown by dotted lines, and that it has only to be allowed to proceed inits rotative course to place the said parts again in the position shownby full lines. The action of the weight f 2 and cord f upon the drum Fin connection with the gearing before mentioned sets the wheel J inmotion and causes the gate alternately toopen and close; but in order toaccomplish my purpose the wheel J should be stopped at each half of itsrevolution. This may be accomplished in numerous ways. The said wheelmay be slotted, as at j on opposite sides, and a dog may be providedwhich shall normally rest in one or the other of said slots and bereleased at the proper time by suitable electrical apparatus inconnection with the railway-track. I show in the drawings,

however, mechanical means which may be employed for releasing such a dogfrom the slots in the wheel J.

A pawl K projects upward from a rockerarm la, having at ornear one end astop-pin 7c or its equivalent, which may bear upon the upper edge of anarm K, which, together with the arm 70, is pivoted at to the standard A.The arm k is weighted at 70 in order to hold the pawl K normally withinone of the slots j or j of the wheel J. The free end of the arm- Kpasses out through a slot a in the standard A, and it is obvious that todisengage the pawl K from either slot in the wheel J it is onlynecessary to raise this protruding end of the arm 7o; hence a wire L maybe attached to the protruding end of this lever or arm 70 and extendupward, preferably within a hollowsupport M, to a casting m, carrying anarm N, pivoted at n within said casting, to the free end of which arm Nis fastened the upper end of the wire L. One end of the pivot-pin 01extends far enough outside the casting m to carry a rocker-arm N, whichshould be secured thereon at right angles with the arm N. From thisrocker N wires L L extend in opposite directions. The former, which isattached to the bottom end of the rocker-arm, extends to the right, andthe latter, which is attached to its upper end, extends to the left, ofa road-crossing, each being connected with and operated by a suitablerocker-arm located at a distance of a quarter of a mile (more or less)either way from said crossing and preferably between the rails, wherethe cow-catcher or some other convenient part of a locomotive shall comein contact with it and tip or rock it.

The wires L L may pass along and be conveniently supported upontelegraph-poles, the former being connected with the wire L by means ofthe arms N N both of which are secured at right angles upon a pivot-pina, mounted in a casting m, (which incloses the arm N carried at the topof a hollow support M. This support M extends downward below the surfaceof the ground and connects with a suitable conduit 0, extending thencecrosswise of the track, underneath the same, and to a point between therails, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8. In this conduit bearings may beprovided for supporting a horizontal shaft 0 upon which is looselymounted an arm P, whose normal position is horizontal, and to the freeend of which the wire L is attached, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7. Adjacentto the arm P a short arm 1) is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 0 andprovided near its free end with a stop-pin p, or its equivalent, whichmay bear upon the upper edge of the said arm 19 and cause the latter toswing downward, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. (5. A slot isformed in the conduit 0 in its top at a point near the opposite endthereof and between the rails, through which the upper part of arocker-arm P may rise the required height to be rotated or rocked ineither direction by contact with the cow-catcher or pilot of a passinglocomotive. This rockerarm P is also rigidly mounted upon the shaft 0and when moved by'a train approaching a road crossing from the right, asin Figs. 4: and 6, the pawl K is released from the slot j WVhen saidlever or rocker P shall .be moved by a train passing in the oppositedirection, it will simply rock the shaft 0 and raise the arm 1), asshown in Fig. 7, leaving the loose arm P and wire L as well as all theirconnections, including the pawl K, in their normal position.

The lever or arm P may be provided with a pendent or counter weight 19as seen in Figs. 8 and 9, in order that it, as well as the arm 1), mayinstantly return to the positions shown in Fig. 6 after an engine shallhave passed over it.

The withdrawal of pawl K by the passing train is but momentary, and inorder to avoid the possibility of its sudden return to either slot 3' orf, from which it may have previously been released, suitablespring-levers j may be pivoted to one side of the wheel J, the free endsof which will partially cover these slots and form an obstruction infront of said pawl, which may be slightly widened horizontally at itsengaging end for this purpose, and that side of each of said slots whichwill first reach the said pawl in the course of the rotation of saidwheel J may be inclined, as shown in Fig. 15, so that said pawl mayreadily enter the same at the proper time, stop-pins 7' being providedon said wheel for limiting the movement in one direction of said leversj WVhen a train is moving in the opposite direct-ion to that abovedescribedi. 8., approaching a road-crossing from the left-the pilot ofthe engine comes in contact with rocker Pimounted upon the shaft 0carried in bearings secured within the conduit 0, upon which is alsomounted the loose arm 1 and rigid arm 13 provided with a stop-pin p. Thewire L is thus operated and with it the arms N N and the wire L whichconnects the latter with the top end of the rocker-arm N, by which meansthe gates are lowered for a train approaching from the left. The wire Lmay rise within the hollow support M carrying at its top the casting mprovided with the pivot-pin n upon which the arms N and N are secured atright angles to each other, as seen in Fig. 12, the former within thecasting m and the latter without. The rocker P may also be rocked by atrain moving from right to left or approaching from a direction oppositeto that shown in Fig. 5 without operating the gates. A shaft 0', carriedin bearings secured within a suitable conduit 0 extends from theinterior of one of the the pawl K and setting the gates open.

terior walls of the hollow standard A.

standards A (where it is provided with a crank or short arm Q, connectedby a chain q with one end of the arm toa point between the rails where arocker-arm P is mounted thereon, rising normally in a vertical position,as do the rockers P P Trains passing over this lever or rocker l? ineither direction release the pawl K from the slot j thus permitting thewheel J to rotate half a revolution, bringing the slot 7' intoengagement with The rocker P should also be provided with acounter-weight, such as mentioned in the previous description of therockers P P in order to hold it normally in a vertical position.

The drum F may be provided with various means bywhich the cord f may bewound upon it and the Weight f elevated to a proper height byhand-power; but the mechanism I show herein enables the wheels of apassing train to perform this service. Attached to one side of or formedintegral with the winding-drum F is a ratchet-wheel f, having itsserrations cut opposite to those upon the ratchet G, and upon the shaftF, adjacent to the'said ratchet J, an arm R is loosely mounted, the freeend of which rests normally upon a suitable stop a, formed upon one ofthe in- To this arm R is pivoted a pawl B, one end adapted to engage theteeth of the ratchetwheel f and the opposite end pivotally connected toa rod or bar 8, which may be weighted, as at .9, Figs. 1 and 2. Bar 3 atits lower end is pivotally connected to an arm S, mounted upon one endof a shaft S, extending thence in a direction crosswise of therailwaytrack to a point near one rail where an arm S is mounted uponsaid shaft, as shown in Figs. 1, 10, and 11. The free end of arm S ispivotally connected to the jointed levers T, which may be provided ontheir under side, near their outer end,with projections t, looselyfitting slots formed in iron or metal plates T, upon which the ends ofsaid jointed levers bear. If desired, these projections t may beperforated at a point just below the under side of the plates T. in adirection crosswise of the slots in said plates, and pins may beinserted in said perforations having their ends long enough to preventsaid parts tfrom rising out of the plates T. A spring if, placed underthe jointed levers T, will enable them to rise readily after having beenpressed down byawheel. (See Fig. 1.) Each wheel passing over the jointedlevers causes the bar 5 to rise and fall. As these levers T are inclinedtheir movement is a gradual one, and when a wheel has passed far enoughupon the inclined jointed levers T (as indicated by the wheel shown indotted lines, Fig. 1) to cause the pawl R to engage the teeth of theratchetwheel f the further movement of the bar 3 raises the arm R androtates the drum F in the direction of the arrow shown thereon, thuswinding the cord f upon the same automatically, one or more teeth of theratchet f 4 to the passage of each wheel over the inclined jointedlevers T, the pawl g holding the drum F where it is left by each upwardmovement of the pawl R while the latter is taking a fresh tooth. If atany time the drum should have been wound up as far as it should bebefore an unusually long train has entirely passed over.

the jointed levers T, it is desirable that means should be provided forpreventing any damage to the mechanism thereby. To this end I providethe loose arm R with a lateral projection 7 (clearly shown in Fig. 2,)with which a projection f formed for this purpose upon the weight f willengage with the upward movement of the latter, thereby raising the saidarm R to such height that the vertical reciprocal movement of the bar 8(which is necessarily limited by the movement of the jointed levers T)will only cause the pawl R to rock upon its pivot without causing it toengage with the teeth of its ratchet-wheel f, this movement continuinguntil the entire train shall have passed, when the gate-closingmechanism is again in readiness for action by the movement of eitherrocker P P Studs U may be inserted at regular intervals a short distancefrom the periphery of the wheel J upon the side opposite to that towhich the rod j is attached,and these coming in contact with theprojection '0 upon the lower end of a bell-hammer V below its pivotalpoint will cause said hammer to vibrate against a gong-bell W, which isconveniently mounted upon one of the interior walls of the hollowstandard A, as seen in Figs. 1 and2. By omitting the studsU fromone-half of said wheel, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 15, thebell maybe caused to ring only when the gates D are in the act ofclosing. A spring may be attached to said hammer V, or it may becounterweighted, as at 'v,Fig. 18, in order to return it after it shallhave been moved by the studs U.

The hollow supports lWl M M with their respective castings m on WP,afford protection from snow and ice for the arms N N N and theirrespective wires L L L The pawl B may be provided with a shoulder,which, when said pawl is in contact with the ratchet f, will rest upon aprojection r of the arm R.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In automatic gate-operating mechanism comprising gravity-actuatedgearing, the combination of the geared shaft carrying the gate and acrank mounted thereon, a wheel mounted upon one of the geared shafts,havin g slots in its periphery diametrically opposite to each other, arod connecting said crank with said slotted wheel, a suitable pawl forengaging the slots in said wheel, and means whereby said pawl shall bereleased therefrom by an engine moving in either direction while at somedistance at either side of a road-crossing.

2. The combination, with the gate, and slotted wheel j, connectedtherewith, the dog carried by the rocker-arm 7c, and means for retainingthem in their normal position, with a pivoted arm, and means whereby theupward movement of the latter shall operate said pawl.

3. In an automatic gate-operating mechanism, the combination, with awheel having its periphery slotted at points diametrically opposite toeach other, and means for rotating said wheel, of spring-actuatedstop-arms connected therewith adapted partially to cover said slots andprevent a pawl which has been released from either of said slots fromre-engaging therewith before said wheel shall have had time to rotate.

4:. In a gate-operating mechanism, the combination, with the gate, of ashaft, connections between said shaft and gate for operating the latter,a gravity-actuated drum loosely mounted upon said shaft, aratchet-and-pawl connection between the drum and shaft whereby thelatter is actuated when the drum is turned by its gravitatingattachment, a

rocking, bar R, a pawl pivoted on and carried by said bar, areciprocating bar connected with the outer end of the latter pawl, andmechanical connections extending from said reciprocating bar to thetrack and adapted to be actuated by a passing train to operate thereciprocating bar for winding said drum in the opposite directionwithout disturbing the shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a geared shaft and ratchet-wheel thereon, of agravity-actuated drum having a spring-pawl thereon for engaging saidratchet-wheel, and an oppositely-cut ratchet formed integral or securedrigidly thereto, an arm mounted loosely upon said shaft, a pawl pivotedthereto at the outer end of the latter, and a movable part inde pendentof the rail and connected with the drum-pawl whereby said pawl is causedto engage with and disengage from the teeth of the ratchet connectedwith said drum by the wheels of a passing train for the purpose ofwinding said drum.

6. I11 a railway-gate, the combination of a gate proper, an actuatingmechanism therefor, means for automatically winding up said mechanism, arock-shaft having a loosearm connected with and adapted to release theactuating mechanism, a rigid arm on said shaft adapted to be operated bya passing train, and a stop carried by the shaft and adapted to engagesaid loose arm when the shaft is turned in one direction, substantiallyas set forth.

7. The combination of a shaft mounted below the surface and in adirection crosswise of a railway-track at some distance either side of aroad-crossing,snooker-arm mounted upon the same at a point between therails and capable of rocking said shaft in either direction by contactwith a passing locomotive, and a crank and loose rocker-arm also mountedupon said shaft at a, point one side of the track with the pawl K,itsarrn k, the loose arm K, and the several Wires and arms connectingthe same, substantially for the purpose set forth. IO

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVALLAOE BURLEIGH.

Witnesses:

J. B. THURSTON, NATHL. E. MARTIN.

